1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information retrieval apparatus suitable for, for example, an electronic dictionary apparatus which retrieves dictionary information stored in a memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electronic dictionary apparatus according to the related art which retrieves dictionary information stored in a memory requires a keyboard from which characters are input for retrieval.
The electronic dictionary apparatus has a problem of bad operability due to a time-consuming character-inputting operation using the keyboard because the characters must be input for retrieval by using the keyboard.
In addition, when information which is classified in the form of a tree structure is sequentially retrieved by using a cursor instead of inputting the characters by using the keyboard, for example, the character “hi” must be selected after selecting the “ha” column the Japanese syllabary, and words beginning with the character “hi” must be sequentially followed. Accordingly, this case has a problem of bad operability for an inputting or selecting operation for retrieval.